asked the Minister for Finance if he will undertake to give consideration to granting relief from income-tax on house property to low wage earners who, aided by State grants, have purchased houses on a deferred payment system.

No. In the type of case mentioned by the Deputy, relief is allowed for income-tax purposes under the existing law in respect of the interest element in the annual payments. This relief, and the various personal allowances, combine to exempt from income-tax many of the low wage earners who have purchased their houses on a deferred payment system.

Most of those people are already under very grave hardship, and would the Minister be prepared to meet a deputation led by the Deputy in question to discuss the matter?

The only alternative I would have is to build houses for the people and give them something to carry on.

The people are under the impression that the Government is building houses for them, until they get them, when they wake up to the fact——

They find that they have to pay something. That is a useful awakening.

They find that they have to pay more.

Most low wage earners are exempt.